Challenging behaviour can be hard to deal with. As well as dealing with difficult behaviour it is helpful to try to understand your child's feelings and why they are acting this way. There are a range of parenting programmes across Suffolk.
Childhood is a good time to teach them good behaviour because they respect and want to be close to you. Using positive feedback is a great idea. Give lots of praise to build up your child's self-esteem by talking about their strengths and not their weaknesses. Your opinion of your child has a huge impact on what they think of themselves, so being too critical can damage confidence. Follow through with punishments (e.g. no TV or computer) if you have given them a number of warnings and they have not done or acted in a suitable way.
Growing up can be a challenging time, let them know you are there to support them. Sometimes it can come as a bit of a shock when your child starts to develop and change, it can be difficult to 'let go'. As your child gets older you can agree together on boundaries and levels of trust. Give them a little responsibility and reward them with praise and encouragement if they do well. Of course, you are still their parent and they still need you. Be there to support them.
Play, even as they grow a bit older is important because it helps your child feel good about themselves. Having fun with your child and using play as a way of teaching good behaviour can be fun for both of you.
Puberty often brings on mood swings. This is often put down to the surge of hormones produced at the start of and during puberty. Therefore it can be perfectly normal to feel happy one minute, and depressed, angry or frustrated the next. Mood swings usually stabilise as they head towards their late teenage years, but if you are worried contact your GP.